All I Gotta Do Is Show Up... God Will Do The Rest!!

This weekend was a whirlwind. On Thursday evening at midnight, I got into my car and headed from Atlanta to Miami Beach, Florida only to turn around and drive back within 36 hours. It was an 11 hour drive both ways, a journey I dared not take on alone simply because of the duration of the drive and the reality that my 10 year old car is creeping up on 300K miles any day now and might not make it. So, a friend was kind enough to take the drive with me.

Having learned of the event just a few days before, we traveled to Miami Beach headed for a film festival that I was determined to be a part of. A creative person who loves to create and produce artistic expressions, I am interested in adding filmmaker to my list of creative can dos. And, with anything I do, I want to do it right. So I identified a couple of workshops that I wanted to attend at the festival, a screenwriter’s workshop and a panel discussion on how to Make Money in film. My two dilemmas were this: First, given that I wasn’t able to leave Atlanta until midnight, Thursday night, I risked not making it to Miami in enough time to attend the session that was scheduled to begin at 9am on Friday morning. Second, when I called the registration table before leaving Atlanta, there was one ticket left for the panel discussion on Making Money in Film and they would not allow me to purchase that ticket over the phone. This meant that I could potentially get to Miami and not be able to do the very things I wanted to do. But, armed in faith and determination I went anyway. And I’m happy that I did because I got great information and I met some great people. But, I had to show up to win!

So what does this has to do about getting to my destiny? It is about knowing the desires of your heart and being confident that they will happen even when it looks like otherwise. I drove all the way to Miami only to get to the festival venue by 1pm. The session was over. So, I went to the bar area of the hotel, ordered myself a fruity (virgin) drink to celebrate the end of the drive and the ability to exhale, and to do some writing/planning. Just as I was sitting, gentlemen came over to introduce himself. At this particular festival everyone talks to everyone because we are all there for the same reason. Anyway, he had attended the session and said that it was excellent. But, he also shared that everything the instructor shared was in his book and on his website. So, he gave me the information on where to find the website and the book. And, I was satisfied. I can now read and re-read the book and absorb the information at my own pace as opposed to having everything crammed into a couple of hours. Not to mention I met a new person in the field. I was happy.

The second session I was interested in attending began at 430pm. It was sold out. But I was determined to figure out how to get into the session. So, I called a friend who’s boss was on the panel. She told me that she’d try to get me in, but couldn’t promise. I presented to the person selling the tickets all of the wonderful reasons why he should simply let me into the session including that I had driven 11 hours just to see the session. But, to no avail. So, just before the session, I walked over to the waiting area to get a drink of water as I was parched from the hot, hot day in Miami. I began talking with a woman who was also getting water. We talked for about 15 minutes about her organization and what she had experienced while being at the festival. While we were talking, I noticed the line of folks beginning to move into the room where my desired session was being held. I asked her if she was planning to attend because folks were beginning to file into the room. She said yes and asked if I was going. I told her that I’d really wanted to go, but had been turned away because the venue was sold out. She said, “Here, take my partner’s pass! She wasn’t able to make it today, so you can use it and just give it back to me”. I’m sure you could hear me shouting wherever you were on that day? I shouted “Praise The Lord!! Hallelujah!!” I was a re-confirmed believer that God will make away for those desires of our hearts. But, we have to be willing to move forward in faith even when it looks like it will be all for nothing!!

What are you wanting to do that you think is impossible?! All I can say is move out! If you don’t you’ll miss some of the most exciting aspects of the journey!!